Switch throwing and locking mechanism.



G. F. WEISS.- I SWITGH THROWING AND LOOKING MECHANISM.

PPLIOATION FILED JAN.2'I. 1910.

Patented May 14, 1912.

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SWITCH THROWING AND LOOKING MEGHANISM.

APPLIGATIONTILED JAN.27. 1910.

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G. F. WEISS.

SWITCH THROWING AND LOOKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.27, 1910.

- Patented Mayl4, 1912.

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G. F. WEISS. SWITCH THROWING AND LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JANZZT. 1910.

Patented May 14, 1912.

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GM/J BMW. flaw UIT STATES GEORGE E WEISS, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

swrrcH rrinowrne AND LOCKING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14:, 1912.

Application filed January 27, 1910. Serial No. 540,424.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon F. Wnrss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Throwing and Looking Mechanisms, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improved means for operating rail-way switches.

The purposes of the invention are to provide simple and effective means for moving the pivoted switch rail of a siding or turnout, to the right, or to the left, as may be necessary for the opening or closing of the switch or turn-out; to provide simple and effective means for holding the switch rail in contact with the main rail of the main line or switch or turn-out, as the case may be; to provide suitable housings for the operating parts, adapted to contain oil or equivalent material in which the operating parts are immersed and thereby obviate freezing and consequent sticking of the mechanisms; to provide a crank-mover which will be selfcleaning with respect to mud,snow, etc.; to provide locking mechanism connected with the crank-mover and the pivoted switch rail, and so arranged that when the point of the pivoted switch-rail reaches the limit of its throw to the right or the left, as the case may be, the locking mechanism will hold it firmly against the rail; and to provide actuators attachable on the frame of the car and operable independently of each other to actuate the crank mover when the car is running on the track in either direction.

With these ends in view the invent-ion consists of the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the drawings, hereinafter described and finally recited in the claims.

Figure 1 shows in topplan part of a railway track and turn-out and the switchthrowing'mechanisms in the center of the track and connected with the pivoted switchrail; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the actuator connected with the car, and the crank-mover and locker mechanism in operative relation to each other; Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively an enlarged top plan and an enlarged side elevation of the housings inclosing the crank-mover and locking mechanisms; Fig. 5 is a top plan of the crank-box, the cover being removed; Fig. 6 is a top plan of the locker-box the outer cover being shown as broken away to expose the inner cover; Fig. 7 is a bottom plan of the cover of the crank-box; Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan of the segment arm of the locking mechanism; Fig.- 9 is a vertical section on the line X. X. of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line Y. Y. of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a top plan of the bell-crank lever of the locking mechanism; Fig. 12 is a right hand side elevation of the bellcrank lever; Fig. 13 is an enlarged top plan of the locker-box and the locking mechanisms housed therein; Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section through the locker-box on the line Z. Z. of Fig. 6; Fig. 15 is a vertical section on the line WV. W. of Fig. 3; Fig. 16 is an enlarged front elevation of the actuator; Fig. 17 is a vertical section on the line V. V. of Fig. 16, and Fig. 18 is a partial vertical section on the line U. U. of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals and characters designate like parts in the several views.

The crank-box A, and the locker-box B, are planted in the center of the rail-way track at such distance apart that the moving car will operate the switch-throwing mechanism before the car arrives at the.

points of the switch. Ordinarily the distance between the boxes will be about twenty feet. The boxes are connected by a pipe C, adapted to contain oil, in which is immersed the rod connecting the operating parts as hereinafter described.

The crank-box A comprises a cylindrical lower part 1, adapted to contain oil or other anti-freezing material, and an upper ring 2, suitably secured on the part 1. The ring 2 has integral upwardly projecting segmental members 2*, recessed on the under side to permit the crank plate to oscillate horizontally under said members.

The cover 3 shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 15 extends diametrically across the ring 2, between the members 2*, and is' located on the ring so as to leave passage ways at between the cover 3 and the members 2 which are adapted to accommodate the downwardly extending arms of the actuator, which traverse said ways. The cover 3 has pins 3 fitting in holes 2 in the ring 2, and serving to prevent accidental displacement of the cover. It also has a central recess 3 accommodating the upper end of the crankshaft.

The crank plate 5 is situated within the ring 2 and under the cover 3. The contour of the crank plate 5 is such that it may be oscillated horizontally by the downwardly extending actuator arms engaging with suitably disposed shoulders on the plate to move the point of the pivoted switch rail either to the right or the left and may be in serted between the members 2 without the use of tools. The plate 5 has a circular part 5 a rectilinear part 5, shoulders 5 an angular part 5, and a central square hole 5. The transverse distance between the points of the shoulders 5 is somewhat less than the transverse distance between the members 2, in order that the plate 5 may be readily in serted between the members 2. When the plate 5 is oscillated by the actuator arms the shoulders 5 traverse the channels in the members 2 The oscillating plate 5 in addition to oscillating the crank-shaft 6, serves to keep the channels 4 free from dirt, snow, etc. The crank-shaft 6 fits in the hole 5 in the plate 5, and has at its lower end a spindle 6 turning in a suitable central bearing 1, in the bottom of the box 1. The crank 7 is suitably secured on the shaft 6 so that the oscillating crank will impart reciprocating movement to the connecting rod 8.

The locker-box B comprises a retangular box 9, adapted to contain oil; an outer cover 10; and an inner cover 11. The box 9 has a horizontal ledge 9 extending inward from the walls of the box. A gasket 12, of rubber or asbestos, or similar material, rests on the ledge 9 and the inner cover 11 rests on top of the gasket. Screws 13 screwing into the ledge 9 hold the inner cover 11 securely on the gasket so as to prevent leakage of oil from the interior of the box 9. The outer cover 10 rests on top of the box 9 and protects the inclosed parts from injury.

A bell-crank lever 14, shown in detail in Figs. 11, 12, and 13 is mounted to oscillate on a vertical stud 15 integral with the box 9, and a channeled segmental lever 16, shown in detail in Figs. 8. 9 and 10, is mounted to oscillate on a similar vertical stud 17. A bolt 18 connects the bell-crank lever 14 with the stud 15, and a similar bolt 19 connects the lever 16 with the stud 17. The lever 14 has a fork 14 accommodating the end of the connecting rod 8, and the wheel 20, which is mounted to turn in the fork. It also has a for-1:14 accommodating the inner end of the connecting rod 21. The segmental lever 16 has a channel 16 in which the roller 20 travels, and a surface 16 contacting with the circumference of the wheel 20, when the parts occupy the changed position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 13. The lever 16 has an upwardly extending lug 16, serving to connect the spring 22 with the lever. A spring 22 having one end connected with the box 9 and the other end connected with the lug 16, pulls on the lever 16 and holds it in contact with the roller 20. The connecting rod 21 slides in agland 23, stuffed with packing 24, to prevent leakage of oil from the box 9. The actuator D, comprises two independently depressible parallel bars 25 and 26, spaced to travel in the ways 4 respectively, and adjustable lengthwise of the arms 27 and 28 respectively which are mounted to oscillate on a bracket 29 suitably secured on the car-truck frame 30. The arm 27 is secured on the tube 31, which oscillates in a suitable bearing on the bracket 29. A shaft 32 extends through the tube 31, and one end of the shaft is mounted to oscillate in a suitable bearing in the bracket 29. The arm 28 is secured on the shaft 32.

Levers 33 and 34 are secured on the tube 31 and the shaft 32 respectively. The bars 25 and 26 are adapted to slide in rectangu lar boxes 35 integral with the arms 27 and 28 respectively. The bars are movable on' the arms so that they may be adjusted to suit the ways 4 of the crank-box A, and the set screws 36 keep the bars in the position in which they may be set on the arms. Springs 37 act to normally support the arms 2'7 and 28 in a horizontal position. A horizontal shaft 38 stationary on the under side of the car, supports the bell-crank levers 39 and 40, which are in line with the levers 33 and 34 respectively, and are connected therewith by rods 41 and 42 respectively. Pins 43 and 44 slide in vertical holes in the plate 45, which is fixed on the car floor, and the lower ends of the pins rest on the horizontal members of the bell-crank levers 39 and 40 respectively. Pushing downward upon the pin 43 causes the bell-crank lever 39 to pull on the rod 41, which in turn pulls on the lever 33 to depress the arm 27 and cause the bar 25 to assume a vertical position and stop against the forwardly projecting member of the bracket 29, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when thebar 25 is in the vertical position shown, it will be in line with the right-hand way 4, looking in the direction in which the car is headed; and if the pin 44- be depressed it will through the instrumentality of the bell-crank lever 40, the rod 42 and the lever34 cause the bar 26 to assume a vertical position in line with the left-hand way 4, looking in the direction in which the car is headed. As the car progresses along the track the depressed bar 25 or 26, as the case may be, traveling in the proper way 4, will engage with the shoulder 5, of the crank plate 5, and thereby rotate the crank plate a distance sufficient to cause the crank to push on the rod 8 and turn the bell-crank lever 14 on its axis to cause the rod 21 to push the pivoted switch-rail 24 against the main rail, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shoulders 5 of the plate 5 are diametrically opposite to each other and are so arranged that if the car is headed to the right, (Fig. 5), the depressed right-hand bar of the actuator will engage with one shoulder 5 to rotate the plate counter-clockwise, and if the left hand actuator bar is depressed it will engage with the other shoulder 5 to rotate the plate clockwise. It is obvious therefore that by depressing the right hand or left hand actuator bar, as the case may be, the operator will have perfect control of the pivoted switch-bar and may operate it to run the car on the main track or on the turn-out, as he may elect.

When the pivoted switch-bar is moved either to the right or to the left, it is necessary to lock it against accidental displacement. This is accomplished by the locking mechanism, the operation of which will now be described. Referring to Figs. 1 and 13, it will be seen that when the pivoted switchrail 24 is in contact with the main rail, the bell-crank lever 14 will occupy the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 13, the wheel 20 will bear on the surface 16 of the lever 16, and the spring 22 pulling on the lever 16 will hold it against the wheel 20, so that the wheel, the shorter arm of the bell-crank lever 14, and the connecting rod 21 will have their centers in line and will hold the rod 21 in such position as to prevent any movement of the rod. When the bell-crank lever 14 and the segmental lever 16 occupy the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 13, the spring 22 will hold the wheel 20 in contact with the lever 16 with force sufiicient to prevent accidental inward movement of the connecting rod 8.

A practical advantage of the present invention is that the operating parts are immersed in oil, and the liability to freezing and sticking of the mechanisms is reduced to the minimum.

The locating of the crank-box and the locker-box in the center of the track is of practical advantage for the reason that the actuator may be placed centrally on the car truck in line with the center of the track,

so that the swaying of the car or the turning of curves, will not cause the actuator to assume an inoperative position with respect to the ways of the cranlcbox. A further advantage is that the boxes in the center of the track are much less subject to damage by the wheels of heavily loaded vehicles than they would be if located at the sides of the track.

I have hereinbefore set forth mechanisms of preferred construction but it is to be understood that minor changes of details may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or limiting its scope.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Locking mechanism comprising a box, a channeled segmental lever mounted to oscillate in the box, a bell-crank lever mounted to oscillate in the box and equippedwith a wheel adapted to travel in the channel of the segmental lever, an actuating rod connecting with the bell-crank lever, a pivoted switch-rail, a second rod connecting said switch-rail with said bell-crank lever, and a spring acting on said segmental lever.

52. The combination of a locker-box, a bellcrank lever mounted to oscillate in the locker-box and having a fork adapted to accommodate a wheel and a rod, also having a fork adapted to accommodate a connecting rod; a segmental lever mounted to oscillate in said box and having a channel accommodating the wheel on said bell-crank lever and also having an upwardly extending lug; and a spring having one end connected with said box, and the other end connected with the lug of said segmental lever.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Springfield, Illinois, this 29th day of December 1909.

GEORGE F. WEISS.

Witnesses:

PEARL COLEMAN, J. C. NEUMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

